Skissim Select - Résidence Le Hameau des Airelles

We gave Belambra another try this year after staying there 12 years ago, hoping the cleanliness issues from back then had been sorted. They haven't changed, apart from raising the prices a lot. The pillows and duvets were dirty, the facilities felt dated, and there's still no WiFi in the 21st century. It feels like they want to take as much money as they can without putting it back into the property. Better to stay somewhere else.

The reception team were really helpful, and the apartment was a good fit for two adults and one child. You could squeeze in another child, but I wouldn't want four adults in there. We paid extra for a second bedroom. The place itself is fairly basic, so check with the hotel what is included: towels, toilet roll and soap cost extra, or you can bring your own. I hadn't realised that before we arrived, though the supermarket is very close. Being able to ski in and out was handy, and the pool and sauna were a bonus, especially for the kids. They can get busy at peak times, but they're still nice to have. There's no hairdryer in the apartment, so we used the one at the pool. The main strip at la croisette is a 12 to 15 minute walk, with restaurants nearer the hotel too. The shuttle bus stop is about two minutes away, and the 3 vallees app was useful. There is a good boot room with a decent sized cupboard. Laundry is downstairs and takes coins. You can order fresh bread and croissants to your room for the morning. Ask reception about breadinbed, it was worth it and not expensive. I'd been nervous after reading mixed reviews, but we had no complaints and would definitely come back.

We liked having a mountain view from the balcony, and the room was clean, with comfortable beds, a separate bedroom, a bathtub and plenty of storage. The staff were friendly, and it was a short walk to the supermarket and some nice restaurants. The center of Les Menuires is about 20 minutes on foot, or you can take the free bus. The pool is small but good for a dip, and the saunas were fine. Skiers should manage the ski in and ski out without much trouble, but the very flat slope makes skiing out awkward on a snowboard, with lots of scooting or walking to get started. For snowboarders, I'd use skilift Tortollet from the hotel. Dogs are allowed, which we love, but when we visited nobody seemed to be cleaning up after them, and there was poo all over the snow where kids were playing. Still, it was good value for money.

The apartments are in a quiet spot away from the center, which you reach by bus. Ours was spacious for two, though four would have felt crowded. You can get to the piste by crossing an icy car park, then ski back to the residences. To avoid lift queues getting out of Les Menuires, you need to reach the piste first thing. There was absolutely nothing provided, so bring as much as you can, and be ready for a very demanding list of checkout instructions.